The countdown to Christmas has officially begun and people are delving into the holiday spirit with festive decorations, Mariah Carey, and their favourite Christmas films every night.
Amongst the famous list of must-watch Christmas films is The Polar Express, a seemingly innocent movie about a boy’s magical adventure to the North Pole on a mysterious, dream-like train. Since its release in 2004, this classic never fails to grace millions of television screens every year, leaving viewers with a warmth and comfort of knowing a little boy’s faith in Christmas is found.
And yet it cannot be denied that the film brings a feeling of uneasiness too.
Despite all efforts, what Robert Zemeckis created is actually a terrifying horror film. Whilst the film received mostly positive appraisal, it was heavily criticised for lacking a sense of ‘lifelikeness’ about it.
Like many other animations, it seems The Polar Express got stuck in the Uncanny Valley.
So, what is the Uncanny Valley Phenomena?
The phrase was first termed in Aesthetics, a branch of Philosophy, and referred to the disturbing feeling of uncanniness someone experiences in relation to objects that imperfectly resemble human beings. Androids, avatars, and animations strive the most for extreme realism, and yet they are the ones who get caught in the disturbing chasm dubbed by the uncanny valley.
In the film, we are taken on a train ride down the terrifying Uncanny Valley to the North Pole. Whilst it’s easy to get swept away with the snowy landscapes and fantastical creatures along the way, it’s hard not to notice the lifeless expressions of the characters as the film struggles to reflect real-life emotion. It doesn’t help that only two of the characters from the main cast are named in the film, adding even more eeriness and discomfort to the film as viewers struggle to relate to the nameless characters. What’s more, actor Tom Hanks voices five of the characters (so pretty much the entire cast), leaving viewers even more confused as to why all the nameless, seemingly lifeless, and robot-like characters all sound the same.
It must be said that this Christmas film, although an unfailing classic and a must-watch in December, is actually more horrifying than meets the eye.
So, if you are settling down tonight to watch a Christmas film and are in the mood to be disturbed – watch the Polar Express!